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The author of the best-selling 10 Smart Things Gay Men Can Do to Improve Their Lives turns his attention to the burning question of love. “There are few books for gay men on not only what to look for in Mr. Right but how to become Mr. Right. My book will address both. It is not just about finding him, it is what you do after you find him,” says author Joe Kort. A certified Imago Relationship Therapist, Kort has employed the ideas put forth by Imago founder Harville Hendrix to transform the lives and relationships of the countless gay couples he has worked with in 20 years of private practice. In “Your Sexual Shadow,” one of his new book’s 10 life-altering chapters, Kort unveils a surprising and groundbreaking idea that explores how decoding sexual fantasies can often unlock the mystery to what gay men are looking for in a partner and why. This will be particularly elucidating to men who have been conditioned to believe their sexual fantasies are an obstacle to long-term relationships. How can the secret logic of “dark” sexual desires help you find Mr. Right? “So many of my clients say they have to get better before they find Mr. Right,” reports Kort. “I think that is often a reason to avoid relationships and simply not true.” His new book is a practical guide to set gay men on the path to true love today.

Joe Kort is a therapist in private practice since 1985, specializing in gay-affirmative psychotherapy as well as Imago Relationship Therapy, which is a specific program involving communication exercises designed for couples to enhance their relationship and for singles to learn relationship skills. His first book, 10 Smart Things Gay Men Can Do to Improve Their Lives, was a national gay and lesbian bestseller.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Joe Kort is a certified Imago Therapist, a member of the National Association of Gay Addiction Professionals, the Academy of Certified Social Workers, and the American Association of Sex Educators, Counselors, and Therapists. He is adjunct professor at Wa

"10 Smart Things Gay Men Can Do To Improve Their Lives" published by Magnus Books

"10 Smart Things Gay Men Can Do To Find Real Love" published by Magnus Books

"Gay Affirmative Therapy for the Straight Clinician: The Essential Guide" published by Norton Books.

"Is My Husband Gay, Straight or Bi?: A Guide for Women Concerned About Their Men" published by Rowman and Littlefield

He facilitates IMAGO Relationship Therapy weekend workshops for couples based on the book, "Getting The Love You Want: A Guide for Couples" and Singles "Keeping The Love You Find: A Guide for Singles", by Dr. Harville Hendrix.

Dr. Kort also facilitate workshops for men on sexuality, sexual behavior, sexual fantasies and sexual intimacy.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

I've been doing workshops for a men's group here in New York and this book as well as Mr. Kort's previous text have been excellent resources. Not only the scenarios but the root causes of why men develop as they do in relationship to their sexuality are excellent. The referencing to Erik Erikson and Harville Hendrix (tests I also utilize) as well as the specific application of the tomes to activities and insights is stellar. What surprise dme most about the book was how it balanced accessible language and yet was able to present enough psychological/psychiatric/therapeutic language/technique for the lay person to understand. A lot of the "why's" about men and sexuality and actions and integrity or lack thereof was answered. One of the things I constantly do in my groups now is remind the men how they were socialized as boys, how it was enforced/beaten out of them not to portray their sexuality or sexual thoughts/interests and how this indoctrination carries over and manifests itself in adult life. You can literally watch the lightbulbs of enlightenment go off in the heads of the men as they start to link simple things like sit still, don't flounce, don't sigh, don't cry, don't whine, don't, don't don't---in order to be masculine/a "man" to being what caused a lot of confusion. What happens to someone who's identity is constantly challenged, taunted, corrected---they adopt an identity that is pleasing to the masses, however they are then thrust into a society where the two identites--one false and one repressed are incongruous and therefore enter into a lifestyle that has very few mature standards/practices.

I bought this book for a friend for christmas, but after I'd wrapped all the presents, I ended up with it left over, couldn't remember who I bought it for, so kept it for myself. That turned out to be a wonderful serendipity.

Kort's work is probably the most deeply insightful exploration I've read of the influences of family of origin issues, internalized homophobia, and other baggage that gay men experience, and how those factors, as well as subtle peer influences within the gay community and other factors affect us, and, in turn, how we select partners and how we relate to them.

I've read a lot of the psychology literature, both clinical and popular, on gay men and the special issues they face, but I think Kort has done the best job yet of weaving all of the pieces together in a way that is insightful and really helps the reader understand *why* we choose the partners we do, the actions we take that are driven by our unconscious, and particularly how all of the behaviors we bring to relationships have their roots in our childhood and other internalized life experiences.

Some of the insights he describes in the case histories of couples he has worked with are just extraordinary, as though finding the "needle in a haystack" that is the root cause of a partner's insecurities or inappropriate actions/behaviors. Almost everyone reading the book will find portions of the book that will resonate with their own experience, and there were several times when I was reading it where I experienced major "Aha" moments as it described feelings or behaviors I'd experienced but could never quite explain or understand.Read more ›

Let me start out by stating that I am not an avid book reader nor a professional counselor. However, when the pain of staying the same became greater than the pain of changing, I started looking for help. I purchased this well written and thought provoking, book by Dr. Joe Kort. This book has played a significant role on my journey toward making some overdue changes in my life.

This book has helped me to understand myself and why I act and re-act the way I do in society and in my personal relationships. For so long, it has been too easy for me to blame other people for problems in my relationships rather than to look at myself and the sum total of my life experiences.

Joe has given an in depth look (rather than a glossy coating) using examples from his practice, Dr. Kort demonstrates what can be changed or improved about one's self, before getting into a relationship, during the relationship, and exiting the relationship. This is where so many gay men get into relationship pitfalls, they are not willing to look at the "Man in the Mirror". I had several "Aha" moments as I read the book. I enjoyed the way that Joe has pushed the envelope of conventional therapy to assist his clients and the readers to find the answer which is right for their particular situation - not just the text book molded answer.

Again, only purchase this book if you are willing to change your life.

I love this book. I ordered it because it is being recommended by the Fenway Communty Health Center in Boston and I am an older, late in life ex-closet case, and am awkward in the affairs of dating and the variety of options in the gay world. This book is so much more as the author does an excellent job helping us understand our common archetypes and predominant patterns associated with socializing in an unwelcome world. He helps us understand the common defenses gay men develop and while useful in earlier days given the predicament of young vulnerable gay men, he also helps us understand the problems with these internalized fears of self esteem problems and the problems these defenses cause us as we grow. In fact they hinder us. He advocates for consciousness and helps understand the core issues within us including those he had wtnessed as part of his psychotherapy work with gay men and couples. I can relate to his description of the maladaptive personality problems and he has hoped me see my shadow side, the ideal path for recovery and some tools for building and sustaining healthy gay marriages and partnerships. He has wonderful knowledge and writing skills to help us all use language to support us and normalizing us socially. He presents some scientific research that proves that homophobes in lab studies have an extremely high erectile response to homoerotic pornography while non homophobes measure little to none erectile stimulation presented with the same images. His arguments are both developed and written very well. Finally, he shows us the importance of integrating our shadow or subconscious minds into our adult personas.Read more ›